NME ARTISTS

Soft Cell

Biography

Soft Cell are an English synthpop duo who came to prominence in the early 1980s, consisting of vocalist Marc Almond and instrumentalist David Ball. The duo are principally known for their 1981 hit version of "Tainted Love" (#8 US) and 1981 debut album entitled Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret.

In the United Kingdom, they had ten Top 40 hits including "Tainted Love" (#1 UK), "Torch" (#2 UK), "Say Hello, Wave Goodbye" (#3 UK), "What!" (#3 UK), and "Bedsitter" (#4 UK), and also had four Top 20 albums between 1981 and 1984. In 1984, the duo split but reformed from 2001 to 2004 to tour and record new material, releasing their fifth studio album, Cruelty Without Beauty in 2002.

Soft Cell's songs have been covered by various artists including Nine Inch Nails, David Gray, Nouvelle Vague, Marilyn Manson, and A-ha. Their track, "Memorabilia", earned recognition for the band as pioneers of the synth-oriented techno genre. The duo have sold 10 million records worldwide.